Pneumatic waterworks.



. pipes and valves, whereby the pump is made UNITED STATES Patented September 15, 1903.

FATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD L. CANON, OF QUITMAN, GEORGIA.

' PNEUMATIC WATERWORKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,150, dated. September 15, 1903.

Application filed February 21, 1903. Serial No. 144,393. (No model.)

of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Waterworks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that form of pnuematic Waterworks in which water is allowed to pass into a closed reservoir through a checkvalve and a body of compressed air from a separate tank is admitted to the top of the water in this reservoir to force out the water therefrom through a stand-pipe which opens into the bottom of the reservoir and extends to any desired point.

My invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of a pump, with not only to store up air-pressure in the pressure-tank, but is also used for exhausting the air from the Water-reservoir in filling the same with water.

My invention consists also in the special construction and arrangement of the waterreservoir and its valves and pipes, as will be hereinafter fully described with reference'to the drawing, in which the figure is a side clevation, partly in section, of my improved pneumatic waterworks.

In the drawing, A represents the air-pressure cylinder, having a pressure gage B mounted thereon to showtho degree of pressure. F is an air-pump of the rotary blower type, and M is the Water-reservoir,which may be located at any convenient point, either in a well and below the water-level or above the water-level or even above ground. This reservoir receives. its water by suction through a pipe R, terminating at its lower end in a strainer dipping down into the supply of water to be raised and having a check-valve Y opening upwardly and into the reservoir.

The water-reservoir M is made conical at both its upper and lower ends and has a valve-seat N at its upper end and another one, 0, at its lower end adapted to receive a loose float'valve S, which is adapted to close upon either ofsaid seats in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter described. The

bottom of the water-reservoir communicates" through a check-valve Q with a stand-pipe T,

which leads to any point to which the water is to be forced. The check-valve Q opens outwardly from the reservoir, so thatthe water in the stand-pipe cannot flow back into the reservoir. The top of the water-reservoir connects with a pipe P, which in turn connects with the suction side of the air-pump F and also'with pipes V and U, leading to the airpressure cylinder A. Between the pipe V and the air-.

pump F thereis a globe-valve L and an air inlet cook X, which latter when open allows outside air to pass into the air-pump and when closed and valve L is open allows the pump to suck air directly from the waterreservoir M to cause it to be filledwith water through pipe R. In the outlet-pipe from the rotary air-pump there is an outwardly-opening check-valve E and an outwardly-dischargingv air-cock D. At a point between the checkvalve E and air-cock D there connects a branch pipe W, which at its upper end connects with the pipe U, leading to the air-pressure cylinder A. This branch pipe W has in it an upwardly-opening check-valve J, and in the pipeUon each side of the pipe W there are the globe-valves I and C. On the shaft of the rotary air-pump there is fixed a small sprocket-wheel G, around which passes a chain belt Z, which at its upper end passes around apd receives motion from a large sprocket-wheel provided with a hand-crank H. By turning this hand-cranka rapid r0- tation is given to the rotary air-pump below for its operation. Y Y

The general principle of operation of my waterworks is as follows:'The pump F first sucks the air from the reservoir M, causing the latter to be filled with water through suction-pipe R. The valves are then adjusted to cause the pump F to compress air and store A it up in cylinder A. Then bya readjustment .of the valves the air-pressure of the cylinder A is admitted to the top of water-reservoir M to force the water upthrough the standpipe T to the point of utilization. T0 exhaust the air from the water-reservoir, valves I and O are closed and L is opened, and air-cock X is closed and D is opened. Then upon the operation of the pump it sucks air through pipe P from the top of reservoir M and discharges this air through the open cock D. The

result will be that water will rise through the check-valve Y into the reservoir M. To store up air in cylinder A, valve 0 is opened and L is closed, and air-cockD is closed and air-cock X is opened. Now upon the operation of the pump air passes in at cockXand is delivered through check-valves E and J into the cylinder A, being prevented from coming back by these check-valves. To apply the pressure of the air in cylinder A to the top of the reservoir M, it is only necessary to open valve I, and the pressure of air being then admitted onto the surface of the water in M forces the water out through check-valve Q and up the stand-pipe, as before described.

The construction of the double-conical reservoir with valve-seats N and O at top and bottom and the float-valve S,cooperating with the same, constitutes an important element in my combination of devices, for when water is being sucked into the reservoir M the ball S floats on top of the same, and as the level rises said ball is guided by the converging sides of the upper end of the reservoir onto the seat N, against which it closes and acts as a check-valve to prevent the water from passingup into the pump. Then when the air from cylinder A is admitted to the reservoir M and the level of the water therein falls the converging lower end of the reservoir guides the ball onto the valve-seat 0, against which it closes when the water is all out, so as to prevent the air from the cylinder A from wasting out through the bottom of the reservoir and passing up into the standp By the positive filling of the reservoir M by suction it will be seen that the reservoir M need not be placed in the well at all, but may be placed above ground any distance within the limits of the operative suction of the pump.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A pneumatic waterworks comprising a water-reservoir, an air-pressure chamber, a rotary air-pump, and a two-branched pipe with valves and air-cocks, one of said branch pipes communicating at one end with the water-reservoir and the inlet for the air-pump and at its other end communicating with a pipe leading directly from the air-pressure chamber, and the other branch pipe communicating at one end with the outlet from the air-pump and at the other end with the air-' pressure chamber substantially as described.

2. A pneumatic waterworks comprising a water-reservoir having a valve-seat at both top and bottom and a float-valve closing alternately on the same and a suction-pipeopening between the said seats and provided with a check-valve, an air-pressure chamber, a rotary air-pump, and a two-branched pipe with valves and air-cocks, one of said branch pipes communicating at oneend with the top of the water-reservoir and the inlet for the air-pump, and at its other end communicating with a pipe leading directly from the airpressure chamber, and the other branch pipe communicating at one end with the outlet from the air-pu mp and at the other with the airpressure chamber substantially as described.

3. A pneumatic waterworks, comprising a water-reservoir with valved suction-pipe, a suction-pipe for air connecting with the top of the reservoir and having a valve and aircock in it, an air-pump having its suction side connected with said pipe, a compressed-air chamber, a branched compressed-air pipe connecting the air-chamber and the suctionpipe of the water-reservoir and having two valves as described, and a second branched compressed-air pipe with check-valves and air-cock connecting the delivery side of the pump with the other compressed-air pipe at a point between its valves, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

4:. A pneumatic waterworks comprising a water-reservoir with valved suction-pipe, a suction-pipe for air connecting with the top of the reservoir and having a valve and aircock in it, a rotary air-pump having its suction side connected with said pipe, drivingwheels with crank and belt for operating the pump, a compressed-air chamber, a branched compressed-air pipe connecting the air-chamber and the suction-pipe of the water-reservoir and having two valves as described and a second branched compressed-air pipe with check-valves and air-cock connecting the delivery side of the pump with the other compressed-air pipe between its valves substantially as described and for the purposeset forth.

' EDWARD L. CANON. Witnesses: Y

W. H. I'IARDEN,

, J. H. WASHBURNE. 

